Jacksonville

Florida

Fort Matanzas in St. Augustine

This masonry (coquina) watchtower
14 miles south of the city on
Mantanzas Inlet was built by the
Spanish in 1740-42 to protect the
“back door” to the city. This national
monument also preserves the approximate
site of the Spanish “Matanzas”
or slaughter of 245 French Huguenots
in 1565.

Throughout its history, the story of Fort
Matanzas has been closely intertwined with
that of the city of St. Augustine and the
Castillo de San Marcos. This Spanish outpost
fort was built in 1740-1742 to guard the
Matanzas Inlet and to warn St. Augustine of
British or other enemies approaching from the
south. Fort Matanzas now serves as a
reminder of the early Spanish empire in the
New World.

In addition, the park, which is located on
barrier islands along the shores of the Atlantic
Ocean and the Matanzas estuary, provides a
natural habitat rich in wildlife with the salt
marsh, scrub, and maritime hammock now
protecting endangered and threatened
species like the historic Fort Matanzas
protected St. Augustine long ago.

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